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Fact or Fiction: Fourth of July holiday edition

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The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.

TE Darren Waller and WR Parris Campbell will combine for at least 1,776 receiving yards this season.

John Schmeelk: Fact – Before we begin, a salute to Dan for these questions. I cannot tell a lie; there's no doubt these two players will combine for more than 1,776 yards if both remain healthy. Waller is sure to become Daniel Jones' go-to player in this offense, while Parris Campbell has the best run-after-catch skills on the roster. I expect both to be shining examples of productivity.

Dan Salomone: Fact – With Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka at the helm, both players will have freedom to move around and make plays from various starting points. They get my vote here.

Lance Medow: Fiction – Parris Campbell is coming off his best season in the NFL, appearing in all 17 games in 2022 as the former Ohio State standout produced 623 yards. Darren Waller has recorded two seasons with over 1,100 receiving yards, but in each of his last two campaigns, he hasn't tallied more than 665 due to injuries. Even if both players suit up for all 17 contests, I still think they'll fall below 1,776. You still need to take into consideration the other weapons on offense and the Giants' commitment to running the ball based on what their opponents showcase.

Matt Citak: Fact – Campbell played the whole season for the first time in his four-year career last year and finished with 623 passing yards, and that was with a combination of Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles under center. With Daniel Jones at quarterback, Campbell should have the opportunity to top that number. Then there's Waller, who had back-to-back seasons with 1,000 receiving yards in 2019 and 2020, the last two seasons he was healthy. If both remain on the field for most, if not all, of the season, then 1,776 receiving yards is a very reachable goal.

OLB Jihad Ward will rank fourth on the team in sacks this season.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – While Wink Martindale gives players a lot of freedom in his defense, I expect Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Azeez Ojulari to all top five sacks and finish more than Ward. Ward, however, remains a great run defender and will provide veteran leadership as both an edge and interior player. In the end, a defensive line must play well together as a unit, or most assuredly, they will fail separately.

Dan Salomone: Fact – Ward is coming off career highs in sacks (tied), passes defensed, quarterback hits, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. His playing time isn't going anywhere. "I told the whole defense wherever I'm at, Haddy will have a job," defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said recently. "If he's done playing, he can hang out with me as a coach."

Lance Medow: Fiction – Last season, Jihad Ward finished fourth on the team with three sacks behind Dexter Lawrence (7.5), Azeez Ojulari (5.5) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (4), respectively. Keep in mind, Leonard Williams missed five games and recorded only 2.5 sacks in 12 contests. I think he's a good bet to increase his total this season, and it's also possible players such as Ryder Anderson and Tomon Fox could get more opportunities in the rotation leading to a few more sacks. Ward will have competition for that fourth spot.

Matt Citak: Fiction – Ward did finish fourth on the team in sacks last season, but I do not expect him to repeat that in 2023. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams will all finish with more sacks, as they should with them being the projected starters. This has nothing to do with Ward, who is a talented player and could finish fifth on the team. Ward also plays a big role in the team's run defense and should make his fair share of impact plays for the Giants this season.

Get excited for the 2023 season with photos from Media Day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

Lawrence Taylor was the most revolutionary player in pro football history.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – Lawrence Taylor shines atop the hill as the most revolutionary defensive player in NFL history. He invented the edge pass rushing position, which has spawned a group of players that may be second to only quarterbacks as the most valuable in the NFL. Not all defensive players, or positions, are created equal. But the way a player like Randall Cunningham changed the quarterback position, followed by Michael Vick more than decade later, paved the way for the two-way quarterback that has really changed the game. Now, if a quarterback does not have the ability to make plays with his legs, it is considered a true detriment on their scouting report.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – Nobody before or since has disrupted quarterbacks like Lawrence Taylor, but there's a reason why doing just that was so valuable in the first place – Johnny Unitas. He paved the way for quarterback becoming the most important position in all of sports. On top of that, he helped make the NFL become the most popular league.

Lance Medow: Fact – There are many strong candidates for this label because every era of football has players that changed the game and gave coordinators and coaches much to think about. Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, Jack Tatum, Reggie White, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Randy Moss and Michael Vick are a few that come to mind. I can make a case for each of those names, but I'll give Lawrence Taylor the edge because I'm not sure we've seen a defensive player that disruptive where an individual on that side of the field could be responsible for consistently winning games. Case in point, LT won both AP NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 1986. The only other player to accomplish that feat was Alan Page in 1971. That's it. If that doesn't show you how special and dominant a player Taylor was, then I don't know what other award, achievement or stat would. I'm not saying the offensive line wasn't critical prior to LT's arrival but his knack for getting into the backfield absolutely changed the conversation about pass protection with respect to the importance of both tackles as well as running backs assisting in that department. There's several quarterbacks who played against Taylor that would support that cause.

Matt Citak: Fact – Have you ever seen The Blind Side? Before the movie gets into Michael Oher's story, the introduction is all about how Taylor revolutionized the game of football. It was because of Taylor's dominance, and most notably his tackle of Joe Theismann which led to a career-ending injury to the QB, that led to the significant boost to the importance of the left tackle position. You have not seen any other player come into the league and change the sport like Taylor did in the 1980s. Not yet, at least.

DL Dexter Lawrence would be the first person on your Fourth of July party invite list.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – I love Dex, but I don't think I have big enough grill. I want to eat, too. Give me barbeque, or give me death, am I right? I'm going to go with Sterling Shepard. He has a lot of good stories having been in the league so long and is a lot of fun. He has kids he would bring to keep mine busy, so I can enjoy some peace and quiet. It checks all the boxes. Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Dan Salomone: Fiction – The key word here is "person." It doesn't say "player." I'm inviting the Brian Daboll. He has stories and jokes for days. Plus, you could use his playlist for the music.

Lance Medow: Fiction – I'm not saying Dexter Lawrence wouldn't make for good company, but at 6-4, 342, you better plan accordingly with the spread because that man will absolutely bring his appetite. While Dex won't disappoint, I'm going to go with Jihad Ward, whom I think would be the life of the party. He's already established himself as a respected voice in the locker room, has a great personality and you wouldn't have to worry about running out of resources.

Matt Citak: Fact – This one was easy. Lawrence is one of the most fun players on the team, and it carries over to when he's off the field. The All-Pro defensive lineman always has a smile on his face inside the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, and his energy is contagious around the facility. While a summer BBQ with Big Dex might require some extra food, he would certainly be the first person on my invite list.

Take a look at rare photos of New York Giants training camps through the years.

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